# alternative fact
## English
### Alternative forms

* alt-fact

### Etymology

This term gained prominence after it was used by Kellyanne Conway in January 2017 and widely repeated in the US media.

### Pronunciation

* Audio (US):(file)
* Audio (UK):(file)

### Noun

alternative fact (plural alternative facts)
* Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see alternative,‎ fact.
    That Newton was an empirical scientist is a fact. An alternative fact is that he was an alchemist.
* (politics, media) Something presented as a fact for reasons of political expediency; a fiction, a falsehood, a lie. [since the late 2010s]
** 2017 February 25, R. E. Guyson Mayers, “A GUY"S VIEW: Season of discontent”, in Barbados Advocate:They are creating their own facts, but one need not be in Government to create alternative facts.
** 2017 March 3, “Private Sydney: Celebrities quick to present their own 'alternative facts'”, in The Sydney Morning Herald:According to Donald Trump we live in an era of "fake news" where his "alternative facts" should be swallowed whole, and without scrutiny.
** 2017 March 3, Chantal Hébert, “It's not just Donald Trump who shifts the truth, Canada's politicians have been using alternative facts for years”, in Toronto Star:Prime ministers have not been immune to spreading alternative facts.
** 2017 May 30, Moe! Ninja Girls, Japan: NTT Solmare, iOS, Android, scene: Season 6, Chapter 6:― Secretary: Now, I did not mislead you. That was merely an alternative fact.
** 2018 March 26, “Association of Herpes Viral Infections, Antiherpetic Therapy, and Dementia: Real or Alternative Fact?”, in Neurotherapeutics, volume 15, →DOI, pages 415–416:Association of Herpes Viral Infections, Antiherpetic Therapy, and Dementia: Real or Alternative Fact?
    Synonyms: counterfact, counterknowledge; see also Thesaurus:lie

#### See also

* post-truth

### References

* ↑ 2017 January 22, Reuters, "'Alt-fact': Trump's White House Threatens War on Media Over 'Unfair Attacks'", Haaretz
* ↑ 2017 January 22, Jason Silverstein, "Kellyanne Conway says White House offers ‘alternative facts’ to media reports", New York Daily News
* ↑ 2017 January 22, Erik Sherman, "Alternative Facts May Be The End Of Trustworthy Government Data", Forbes Magazine
* ↑ 2017 January 22, Meet The Press, "Kellyanne Conway: Press Secretary Sean Spicer Gave 'Alternative Facts'", NBC News
* ↑ 2017 January 23, Gabriel Hassan, "Vu des États-Unis. Les alarmants “faits alternatifs” du président Trump", Courrier International
* ↑ 2017 January 23, Martino Mazzonis, "Non notizie false, ma “fatti alternativi”: benvenuti nell’era dell’informazione versione Trump", Left
* ↑ 2017 January 23, Cecilia Scaldaferri, "Il team di Trump rivendica la possibilità di raccontare 'fatti alternativi'", Agenzia Giornalistica Italia
* ↑ 2017 January 23, AP, "Gobierno de Trump es objeto de burlas por “verdad alterna”", Reporte Nivel Uno
* ↑ 2017 January, Martin Jönsson, "Martin Jönsson: Trumps ”alternativa fakta” lägger grunden för ”Den stora lögnen”", DN.se
* ↑ 2017 January, Susanne Sjöstedt, "Trump är bäst – ingen protest!", allehanda

### Further reading

* Merriam-Webster, "Conway: 'Alternative Facts'" (22 January 2017)
* alternative fact on Wikipedia.Wikipedia